Archive for the ‘Scarborough RT’ Category

With the funding deferment pushing back the conversion of the SRT until after 2015, the plan includes buying some used ICTS Mark-I cars from Vancouver.

Want a look at what is in store for us, take a look at this article which details a recent derailment in Surrey. Of course, with drivers on the SRT, the result would not be the same, but we are still talking about purchasing used equipment that has things like brake calipers falling off of it.

At its meeting of May 17, 2010, the City of Toronto Executive Committee recommended that Toronto City Council approve the Scarborough Rapid Transit (SRT) project with an underground service connection to the Sheppard Avenue East Maintenance and Storage Facility. Further details with a map showing the connection track are on this document.

The connection involves a single track in the middle of the tracks on Sheppard starting about half way between Washburn Way and Gateforth Drive and descending into a portal about half way between Gateforth Drive and the top platform for the connection. The converted and extended SRT will pass under Sheppard Avenue at this stop and the connecting track will form a wye with the east (northbound) track of the SRT.

Unfortunately, this connection design eliminates any possibility of future interlining between the two routes. The one thing that may be possible would be to allow out of service SRT trains to continue in revenue service along Sheppard as they head for the car-house, as they do in Melbourne.

I will not be in town that week, but will post display materials when they become available. If anyone who attends has any comments or even photos from either open house, feel free to forward them to me and I can post them.

According to Steve Munro, during the press scrum after yesterday’s Metrolinx public meeting, John Howe, Metrolinx General Manager of Investment Strategy and Projects, was asked about the technology choice for the SRT. He stated that Metrolinx and the TTC are agreed that the SRT line should be converted to LRT technology, that the cost of the LRT and RT options were approximately equal, and that the ability to integrate the SRT into the new LRT network was beneficial.

This combined with the TTC’s move to study this conversion (see my September 30 post on this), makes this pretty official. What remains is for the TTC to hold public consultations that reflects LRT conversion. Hopefully, that will come soon.

I should also note, that another benefit of this decision that was not mentioned by Howe is that while the cost of LRT and RT options for the existing line are about equal, the cost of LRT for the extension of the line is significantly lower, as I reported in October 2008.

Even if the proposed design, with a fully isolated right of way, were retained, LRT technology will lower the cost. With LRT, it is possible to make some changes that will reduce the amount of total isolation (shorter tunnelled section, and no need for complete fencing for at-grade sections) that will in turn further reduce the cost. I do hope, that the alignment of the extension is not changed to place it in road medians like other Transit City routes will use. A converted SRT will be a nice showcase for a truly rapid LRT line in Toronto.